Submitted Fic of the Week: 10/24/11

Forever is a Promise You Keep by shelikesthesound

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6433878/1/Forever_is_a_Promise_You_Keep

 Review by ImWithPattz

Rating: M
 Genre: Drama/Angst
Characters: Edward & Bella

Summary: Bella loves Edward, much more than she should. Edward is an addict,and Bella deals with it. Years of this cycle begin to take its toll, and Bella is fed up. A near fatal accident forces Edward into a coma, while Bella re-examines her previous decision.

It is not often lately that I read a story in this fandom like Forever is a Promise You Keep. To say that this story is angsty would be a tremendous understatement. To say that this could possibly be one of the strongest Bella’s in fan fiction would also be an understatement. Even in the first chapter, you end up crying and cheering for her during her inner monologue regarding her love for Edward.

FPYK begins with Bella moving to Forks, leaving her mother behind to live with her father. Her “voice” immediately draws you in and you find yourself laughing out loud as she describes her introduction to Edward at her first day at Forks High School.

The start of my relationship with Edward Cullen, however, wasn't as simple. I met him my first day of school at Forks High, in first period English. Or, I should say, my ass met him in first period English. I was in a bad mood because my locker had gotten stuck, making me late for class. I could feel everyone's eyes on me when I entered the room. My blush grew in intensity with every step I took toward Mr. Berty's desk. Once he told me where my assigned seat was, I made my way down the rows to the back. I tried to avoid the students that were now whispering probably about me, with my head down and mu hair shielding my face. Two seats away, my foot got caught on something, and I hit the floor with a smack. 

My face was angled to the floor and my ass up in the air for all to see. Laughter erupted, and after my prayer for a hole to suddenly open up and swallow me went unanswered, I began to get up with what pride I had left. I pushed off the floor with my hands, rising up on my knees and lifted my head. Looking up, I was startled by the brightest green eyes attached to the most stunning boy I had ever seen. He was slouched in his seat, and his auburn hair was lying haphazardly on his head. I let my eyes roam over him and noticed he was wearing a white t-shirt, loose fitting black jeans, and black Chucks.

Bella describes “The greatest day of my young teenaged life was when Edward asked me to be his girlfriend.” And so begins their love story. FPYK switches back and forth between present day (2003) and their last years of high school. The author describes Edward’s descent into drugs and alcohol and how Bella slowly becomes second to Edward’s “other woman”; drugs.

The night Bella stands up for herself and offers Edward the choice of her or drugs is the night he gets in a very near fatal accident.

"I can't do this," I said. 

"You always were uncomfortable doing it at my parents' house," he said with a smile. "It's okay. We'll go home and pick up where we left off." 

When he spoke the last sentence, he ran his eyes over me. 

"No, that's not what I mean," I clarified. "I can't do it, us, anymore. I thought I could, Edward, but I can't. You're never going to stop, and I can't live like this." 

His featured morphed, and the last of my Edward disappeared. A stranger stood before me, and I was, for the first time in my life, terrified. 

"No, I won't let you leave me," he stated in a deadly calm voice. "You don't get to throw away four fucking years because you can't 'do this' anymore," he mocked me. 

Be strong, Bella. Just end it. You can fall apart later. 

"Is that what you think?" I yelled. "That I came to this decision without any thought? Well, you're wrong. This has been years in the making. Each time you chose your drugs, the alcohol, Jasper, or left me alone to let those sluts hang all over you, I was questioning whether or not staying with you was worth it. Every time, I convinced myself that, deep down, you weren't doing it to hurt me. It was just something you had to do, and eventually you'd come back to me," I said. 

I took a moment to gather my thoughts. Edward stared me down, with his jaw clenched tightly. His fists were balled up; the tendons in his arms were stretched to their limit. Taking a deep breath, I prepared to level the final blow. 

"I'm tired of being hurt all the time. I deserve better. I know that now. I'll always love you, but I can't be your girl anymore. Not when your first love is your addiction. Goodbye, Edward," I said with tears in my eyes. 

A large part of the story is Bella’s support of Edward during his long coma and subsequent way back. Her relationship with his family is strained at best. In this story, Alice is someone that you want to throw rocks at and Emmett is someone whose lap you want to crawl into and never come out. While his relationship with Edward is strained in the first chapters, the reader will love his eventual transition into a strong friendship with Edward and a support for Bella. A support she doesn’t feel from the rest of his family.

"So, the treatment didn't work? I thought they were keeping him sedated?" I questioned. 

"Don't worry, Bella. These things take time. He's in capable hands." 

"Anything else?" I asked in a sharp tone. Obviously, I wasn't important enough to be kept informed when Edward's condition had changed. It was my chance to gather as much as I could, and I was going to take it. 

When he didn't answer me, I took his silence as a no, so I stood up and walked to the door. A hand reached out and grabbed me. I stopped, turning to face Carlisle. 

"I know you must be feeling upset and confused," Carlisle murmured. "But I promise…everything that can be done is being done..." 

I yanked my arm away and all of my emotions rose to the surface. How dare he try to play the concerned father? After everything this man had done to Edward, how could he sit there and act like it was his right? 

"Look," I snapped. "I get that you are his father but how dare you keep me out of the loop. I may or may not be his girlfriend at the moment, but I'm still the one person that knows him better than anyone. You know that if Edward was awake right now, he'd be pissed that you have kept me in the dark. The fact that you are a doctor means nothing. You don't have the first clue what he'd want. So from now on, if it's not too much trouble, I would like to know what's going on." 

Carlisle stood in front of me, shocked. Really, I think that was the first time I'd ever talked to him in that manner. Propriety had flown out the window, though, and shattered to pieces on the pavement below. Edward couldn't fight for himself, so I had to let go of my insecurities and do it for him. 

Bella becomes Edward’s voice while he can’t speak and his champion later on. FPYK is such a beautiful love story and I couldn’t put it down. All of the characters are developed – Jasper as Edward’s best friend and fellow addict; Rosalie as Emmett’s much hated wife; Esme as the grieving mother playing the victim very well and Alice as one of the nastiest Alices you will encounter in fanfiction. You really will want to throw rocks at her.

I promise that you will be cheering Bella on in every chapter. Everything she feels is so familiar to anyone who has ever felt like they have had their heart broken. Yet she remains and she fights for Edward.

The most beautiful part of the story is their eventual reunion and getting through all of the deep angst is worth it to get to this point. I “promise” you will have tears.

I can’t recommend this story enough. I could not put it down for three days and this will remain one of my favorite Bella’s in the fandom. Beautifully written, strong and weak simultaneously, and a fighter.

Submitted Fic of the Week: 10/17/11

Making Memories of Us by AngelGoddess1981

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5939047/1/Making_Memories_of_Us

Reviewed by phoebes.promise

Rating: M
Genre: Angst/Tragedy
Characters: Edward & Bella

Summary: Edward & Bella's life together couldn't have been more perfect: their courtship, marriage & the birth of their beautiful baby girl. When tragedy strikes, can this family pull through? Rated M for language, dark themes & adult situations. AU/AH/BxE

AngelGoddess1981’s powerful storytelling will quickly sweep you into the most beautifully told pain and angst. Within the first chapter past go, Making Memories of Us will grip you in a helpless hold, begging and anxious for the next.

Edward and Bella in perfect romantic soul sold form of love began a path of successful, picket fence life to envy…

"Since that day I saved you from that football in our senior year of high school, I knew that we were fated to be together." I stated with a light chuckle. 

Bella's eyes widened in realization. "What the hell do you think you're doing, Edward Cullen?" Her chest began to heave with her heavy breaths. I pulled a small black box from my pocket and dropped to one knee beside her. "Put it away," she hissed. 

I laughed and looked her in the eyes as I took her shaking left hand in mine. "Isabella Marie Swan, I can't imagine my life without you. Marry me?" 

I opened the ring box and her breath caught in her throat. "It's beautiful," she whispered as she looked down at the half-carat princess cut solitaire ring nestled in the blue velvet pillow. She raised her tear-filled eyes and smiled. "Yes." 

My heart soared with joy as I took the ring and placed it on her finger, where it would stay forever. I stood and pulled her into my arms, and our parents started to applaud, which only caused the rest of the restaurant to join in on the celebratory cheers. 

I pressed my lips to Bella's, and could feel her smile against my mouth. "Forever, Bella. Without a doubt, you are my forever." 

However, as milestones drift and morph to years, layers of their story become raw reality, peppered with hints of truth. A marriage deteriorating, a sweet baby girl growing to know the only parent ever present. Flashbacks laid tenderly throughout each chapter tell and show the brutality of post partum depression and it’s emotional, physical torture. Bella’s battle so severe, it left her desperate, medicated and monitored.

I stood from the bed and gripped her waist firmly as I placed a kiss to her nose. "We always said we wanted more than one," I reminded her. "You loved being pregnant." 

She placed her hands on my jaw and smiled. "I did. It was wonderful, and one of the best experiences of my life. But the year after?" 

The memory of that dark time stung to the very centre of my being. "There's a chance that you wouldn't experience that again," I breathed. 

She shook her head. "And also a chance I could. Edward, you were there, you saw just how bad it was. I missed most of the first six months of her life." 

I smiled reassuringly and spoke softly, "I remember, but now we know what to look for, we'd be better prepared to handle it." 

Her face fell. "I'd be medicated again," she whispered sadly. 

"Again?" Placing my fingers beneath her chin, I forced her face up. "Bella, have you gone off your meds?" She didn't have to answer, her eyes spoke volumes. "Love, was Tanya okay with that?" 

Bella pulled her bottom lip between her teeth. "It's been a year since I started them. They made me feel foggy, so I stopped taking them slowly. And I've been doing really well these last two months." She paused for a moment before looking at me with conviction. "Even you couldn't tell the difference," she tried to explain. 

I pinched the bridge of my nose in frustration. "So, you're telling me you came off your meds, and your psychiatrist has no idea?" 

"I am," she replied confidently. "I'm also telling you I'm not interested in having any more children. At least…not for awhile." She turned from me then and closed herself in the bathroom. 

Family and close friends become key players, supporting… knowing… the past and the present. It is only in Edward’s periphery relationships that he’ll find the healing and hope he craves and needs. A simple phrase, a turn and telling changes the trail to the end. Incredibly well thought and planned, AngelGoddess1981 will have you so wrapped in their world you won’t believe the page and words.

Gentle as it could be the most bittersweet glue and threads remain in the love between father and daughter. This is a beautiful bond that stirs and warms throughout the piece. Edward’s selfless devotion to his child’s heart and mind is intense and poignantly written…

"I drew you a picture, Daddy!" she told me excitedly. She ran over to my bed—where her pink baby blanket was now folded on top of my pillow—and grabbed an eight-by-eleven piece of white poster board. I stood up and moved to my bed, sitting on the edge, and pulled Nessie onto my lap so she could present me with her gift. My emotions caught in my throat as I looked at the image she had drawn with crayons.

"This is me right there," she said animatedly, pointing with her finger to the picture of herself. "You can tell 'cause I has red hair. I'm wearing a blue dress because blue is your favourite colour." 

She turned her head up to look at me. "Do you still like blue, Daddy?" her voice wavered with the uncertainty, afraid that maybe I had changed since being here. 

"Yes, bug. I still like blue," I assured her as I tucked a loose curl behind her ear before turning my attention back to her drawing. With a smile, I pointed at the person standing next to her. "And who's this handsome man?" 

Nessie giggled. "That's you, silly! Can't you see?" 

Though complete, Making Memories of Us, features a few lovely, important outtakes that only enhance the emotional journey of love, suffering and renewal. There are authored warnings throughout the postings, heed them for certain, but please don’t allow them to deter your experience. This is a stunning, wonderfully complicated peek of life and love’s greatest challenges.

Submitted Fic of the Week: 10/3/11

Resident Adviser by addicted-to-romione-bedward

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6531072/1/Resident_Adviser

Review by Agrutle

Rating: M
Genre: Romance/Drama
Characters: Edward & Bella

Summary: Bella is in her second year at UW and she ends up paired with Edward –basketball superstar– as RAs for their year. How far would he go to get her? Would she fall for his antiques, knowing his history with girl? Read and find out. 

It’s the start of a new year and a new job for Bella. She’s going to be one of the new resident advisers, but what she doesn’t realize is that her enemy of sorts, Edward, is the other RA. Bella is instantly on edge because Edward never takes anything seriously. Edward is the star basketball player and a playboy. Bella can’t stand to be around him, but because all of their friends are friends they are thrown together constantly. To show the people in their dorm that they are friends, they decide to get along and show a united front, they start going to things together, and Bella goes to Edward’s basketball practices. Bella tells Edward he needs to learn how to date women instead of using them and so he asks her to go on dates with him to show him what he needs to know.

"I thought you said something about a hypothetic kiss." 

"Did you have fun?" 

"I still am having fun," he chuckled, and opened the door of our dorm building. 

"After all that beer, everything is fun." 

"I had fun too," I admitted. 

"That means… under other circumstances… I would have kissed my date?" he asked, hopefully. 

"Yes. Just a kiss. Close mouuu-" I stumbled over a stairs and started laughing hysterically when I fell on the stair. 

"Are you okay? And what do you mean… close mouthed?" 

He was in shock. I was on my feet again and with his help, I made it safely to our floor. 

"Just what you heard. Haven't you done it before?" 

"No," he answered, shocked. "You?" 

"We're talking about you," I blurted out. No need for him to know about my non-existent experience. 

"I don't know about that… Care to show me how to do it?" he asked, cockily. 

"Just don't stick your tongue down the girl's throat. That means closed mouthed." 

"Can't we… experience it? " 

Soon she realizes that she is starting to actually like him, not just in a friendly way either, but she fights it hard, knowing that he’s a player. What she doesn’t know is that there is a reason that Edward doesn’t let people get near him, and it has to do with his biological parents. It has shaped the way Edward deals with ties to people, he doesn’t. One night stands and flings are his way of making sure no one gets close enough to hurt him. Something about Bella, though keeps him coming back for more and all too soon they are as close as two people can be. What do you do though when you find out that he may not have been as honest as you though, or was he.

I woke up later to an empty bed. it was dark outside, being winter, I couldn't tell the time. Had he left? Just like that? I was angry and disappointed, but I wanted to find him and hurt him. That's when I heard his voice outside the room or nearby, anyway. I spotted his shirt at the end of the bed and slipped it on along with my knickers before padding to the door. From the sound, he was arguing with someone. Then, everything went silent. I opened the door just in time to hear his groan. The same groan I had heard earlier, a groan of pleasure.

There he was! In the middle of the hallway, a few feet away from my room. Jacob's sister in his arms. They were kissing, and she looked like she was dry humping him. A dry sob escaped my lips and distracted them. Cullen's head snapped to me, and his eyes widened. The girl looked at me then at him and she started shouting something. I couldn't pay attention. I wanted to crawl in a hole and die. 

"I told you no, Rita!" 

"REBECCA!" the girl wailed. 

"What the fuck ever! I said no!" he shouted, glancing at me. "Bella…I ehh motherfucker," he groaned and gripped his hair with a hand. 

"You were with her all this time?" the girl yelled. His eyes widened further, and I felt sick. 

"Look, Rach-" 

"RE-BE-CCA! Fuck you, Cullen!" 

He moaned when she slapped him and dashed down the stairs. His eyes turn to me. I stood there, petrified. 

Bella is broken after that, she feels like a fool. Why would he want her when he could literally have any girl on campus. She starts seeing someone else that treats her nice and is only seeing her, Jake. He is on the basketball team with Edward and everything seems to be going along great when Bella finds out that Jake is Rebecca’s sister and is out for revenge for his sister. Not too long after Bella sees Edward sitting in his car and thinks he’s sleeping when in reality he is trapped and is passed out. The near death experience shows her that she really does want to be with him and he wants to be with her and so they try again, still keeping it from their friends that they had been together before.

"I think it's impossible for us to be friends. Especially after… December." 

"Haven't you forgiven me?" 

"I meant that I can't be just friends!" I whispered and blushed. 

"That means we're going to try again?" he asked, hopeful. 

There is so much going on in this story that you get hooked immediately. The author has a way of making you laugh at the best times. You have to come and read this great story and find out all about this cocky Edward and his Bella, and where life takes them. I know I eagerly wait for each and every update!

Banner by JaimeArkin

Submitted Fic of the Week: 8/22/11

Hands Open by Nikita2009

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6104772/1/Hands_Open
Review by AnonymouslySufferingFromOCD

Rating: M
Genre: Romance/Humor
Characters: Edward/Bella

Summary: Foul mouthed Bella temporarily moves to Los Angeles for Alice and Jasper's wedding where she meets Edward "Firecrotch" Cullen. Will these two romantically challenged people be able to get it together and realize they are perfect for eachother? BXE, AH 

I was intrigued with this story from the moment I read the summary, I mean Edward “Firecrotch” Cullen, what could be more hilarious and awesome at the same time? Oh wait, I know, Bella “Grannypants” Swan could be!

We first meet Grannypants as she is boarding a plane to Australia and leaving behind her beloved Firecrotch just after he shouted to her that he is in love with her to the whole airport.

Was I worried to be leaving him for 3 months? Nope. I trusted in the fact that if it was meant to be, it would be, and that I had no right to ask anything of him while I was away. If it was meant to work out it would in all due time. 

I picked up my carry-on bag and turned to walk away. I got about ten feet away when he called my name, well, my nickname of Granny Pants. I stopped, but didn't turn around. If I would have looked back at his fucking beautiful face I would have stayed. 

So I kept walking, and he blurted out loud enough for me to still hear, "I just want you to know I'm in love with you Bella." I put my head down and kept walking. I was sad to leave but I had to go, and honestly really fucking pissed off that Firecrotch had pulled this moment to tell me he had fucking "feelings." Not Grannypants, my nickname he'd given me when I'd first met him, but "Bella." So that shit must have been serious. Argh. If he wasn't such a seriously intelligent person I'd think he'd had a brain injury for his lack of timing. 

The story then back tracks four months and allows us to understand first how this snarky Bella, and this anal retentive, closet nerd Edward met and then how they became known as Grannypants and Firecrotch.

If you are looking for a good laugh, this story will give you that. Bella and Alice are besties as they should be. They met when they were about twelve, and living in a group home. Bella had lost her mom when she was eight to cancer and her dad when she was twelve to a car accident. She has always been a bigger girl and because of that she was made fun of most of her life. The teasing that she is subjected to helps Bella become the strong, snarky, foul-mouthed Grannypants that we all come to love. Because of their friendship Bella is, of course, the maid of honor to Alice when she marries Jasper.

Edward, being Jasper’s best friend, grew up very differently than Bella and Alice. He was a doctor’s son and always had access to everything he wanted. Fortunately, instead of turning him into a snob, it turns him into someone that understands working hard to get what you want means more than having it handed to you.

Because of Bella’s past she does have a hard time letting our Firecrotch in. However, once she opens her heart she understands how good it can be with the one that you are meant to be with. Edward never has any doubts about wanting to be with his Grannypants, and is willing to take his time and let her be ready for him.

I closed my eyes. Bella, you're killing me here. All these mixed signals from here were confusing the hell out of me. 

"Edward." 

"Yeah." 

"Open your eyes." I did and met hers, a powerful emotion burning in hers. 

The sky chose this moment to let loose and the rain started pouring, drenching us in seconds. 

"Please. I want this to work more than anything I've ever wanted in my whole motherfucking life." She begged me, her voice taut with emotion. 

And against my better judgment, I made my deal with my own personal devil in a dirty garbage filled alley behind a restaurant. 

"Ok." 

A rain soaked Bella with her hair a mess and her makeup running, begging me for something was my undoing. I'd bet Bella had never begged for anything in her whole life. 

She closed her eyes, drew in a deep breath, and murmured. "Thank you." 

I wrapped my arms around her and buried my nose in her hair. 

Nikita2009 really does a great job making us laugh throughout the whole story. She also throws in some really hot makeout sessions and a few lemons along the way. I highly recommend you check it out when you need a break from all of the angst that is out there in the fandom. Oh and just so you know, Nikita2009 has decided to continue the saga of Firecrotch and Grannypants in the sequel, Over My Head, it is only 3 chapters in but, so far, I think it is promising to be as good as the first.

Submitted Fic of the Week: 8/8/11-8/14/11

The Mystery of You by DivineInspiration

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6348280/1/The_Mystery_of_You

Review by Agrutle

Rating: M
Genre: Romance/Hurt/Comfort
Characters: Edward/Bella

Summary:  Mystery writer Edward Cullen stumbles upon a mystery greater than the ones he writes: Isabella Swan. Life happens as he unravels the mystery. AU/AH. Canon couples.

Edward lives in a quiet little town, Evonside Bay, and is a mystery writer and a bit of a loner. When he’s not writing he is spending time at his sister, Rosalie’s bar with his brother, Jasper. One night, after finding a way to finally off one of the characters he had been having difficulty getting rid of, he is at the bar relaxing when a petite woman comes and he can’t seem to stop watching her, so he goes to the bar to chat.

I sat down at the bar, leaving the stool with her coat between us, and ordered another beer. She was even more beautiful up close, even if she did look as stressed out as I did. She was fiddling with a cell phone and several parts, apparently not able to insert the SIM card correctly. 

"Can I give you a hand with that?" I asked, giving her my best crooked smile. 

She looked up, startled. An ocean of emotions flittered across her face, reflecting in her eyes in the most mesmerizing way. I didn't have a chance to decipher them before she tentatively returned my smile with a gorgeous one of her own and nodded her head, holding the dismembered cell phone out.

"Please. I seem to be taking it apart more than putting it back together." 

I took the parts from her. "Did you know that the inventor of cell phones can't figure out these newer models himself? They're getting so damn fancy that most people can't figure out half the crap that these fuckers can do." I realized too late that I was rambling, but she just smiled. 

"I'll be content if I am able to make a call on that one," she said as I finished putting it back together. I turned it on to see if it was working, but she ripped it out of my hand. "No! Don't turn it on. Just…don't, please." 

"Sorry, just checking to see if it works," I apologized, holding my hands up in mock surrender.

"No, I'm sorry," she said, a blush spreading across her cheeks. It was like watching the sun rise from the ocean – simply stunning. "That was rude of me. Thank you for putting it back together." 

She slid the phone into her bag and looked down at her drink. 

"So, what brings you to Evonside Bay?" I asked. It wasn't that big of a community, and I would definitely have remembered seeing this girl before. 

This time, there was no mistaking the emotion in her eyes: Fear. She bit her lip. "I…um…I'm just looking for the right place, you know?" 

After that, it gets pretty steamy. He thought they could have some fun. She introduces herself as Marie and they go to leave and proceed to kiss. Abruptly she pulls away and runs. Edward can’t get this girl out of his head, but it’s like she’s disappeared into thin air. He asks his siblings to keep an eye out for her and let him know if they see her. Two nights later, he’s back at the bar and there is an enormous man hitting on his sister and she is having none of it. Emmett McCarthy is there with his sister, Alice. They just moved to town and Alice is opening a clothing store. The funny thing is that neither Rose nor Jasper are particularly interested in either of the McCarthy siblings. Different right?? Usually it’s BAM, instant attraction, and we are in love and going to get married and have babies. Not the case here.

The day after that Edward is having a serious case of writers block, so he goes for a walk in the woods only to land face first in the dirt, having tripped over something. He finds Marie passed out with dried blood on her head. She wakes up in a bed and house she doesn’t know and finds Edward playing the piano and while he was preoccupied with that she ran. Edward runs after her and gets her to stay so that she can heal. While she stayed, she was always conscious about the fact that she didn’t need to get comfortable, and Edward soon realizes that there is more to Marie and she’s hiding something and from someone. She stays for a while and lets Edward know that her real name is Bella. One day Edward wakes up and finds Bella gone, leaving behind a note.

Edward, 

Thank you so much for everything you've done for me. 

I'm sorry I can't stay, and that I left the way I did. It's for the best, trust me. 

- Bella

For fuck's sake! The girl made me goddamn muffins before disappearing? 

She runs and literally runs into Alice, who promptly offers her a job in her store. Now that Bella has a job she can’t run anymore. Alice gives her clothes and Bella finds that she’s happy there and wants to stay. She’s just afraid that the past will come back to haunt her. Edward finds out that she’s still in town and they start a friendship that he hopes will eventually become more. All of gang start to have a weekly dinner at Alice's apartment, and they become a family.

So much more is going on in this story, I can’t even tell you it all, you have to go read it!! It’s amazing. The author sucks you in from chapter one. I loved each of her characters because she used similar traits that they always have, but made them different in her own way. The way DivineInspiration writes makes you feel like you’re in the story watching it. Please go check it out and leave her some love!

Submitted Fic of the Week: 8/1/11-8/7/11

Come Find Me by SamRosey

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6340475/1/Come_Find_Me

Review by fnoslvrvlvo4lif

Rating: M
Genre: Romance/Drama, AH
Characters: Edward/Bella

Summary: Alone, cold, too many rooms for one man. The black sky, lost and inviting. He can't see what's there but wants to want what's past it. She's lost and longs to be found, terrified and stuck in limbo, numb. Feel me. Come find me. AH. Edward and Isabella.

She was very upset. So upset, in fact, that she ran out of the bank crying. Out of all the people in the bank that day, only one person took notice. He took notice. He realized she dropped her ID revealing her name...Isabella Swan. He writes her a note and places her ID inside, sliding it under her door. He writes her such kind words and she realizes that somebody does notice her and does care, but who is this person is the question.

This story is written in a very different way that I've never seen before, but it fits the story perfect. It takes some getting used to but once you do, it just works. Here is a little snippet for ya...

He crosses the street instead and enters the bank, it's busy and crowded, he thinks to turn and come back later when he sees red shoes, out of the chaos of the busy lives rushing for their money to make for busy days, he can't stop looking at the red of her shoes. He follows them, shuffling, agitated. His eyes, from the floor to her knees, her curves and long hair, she is shaking her head, waving her arm, controlled and slight. But he sees it. He watches her and forgets all about his own dealings. He moves around to see her, show me your face.

No longer controlled, she feels the tears come, she can't speak to argue anymore, she gathers her things off the counter, ID, letters, purse, in her arms, gripping them like they are all she has and spins around to push her way through the long line of people that has formed.

She is walking straight for him, he sucks in a breath, her face so sad, tears of something he knows nothing about, her personal effects on display. She doesn't see him, she doesn't see anybody, she knows the bank is full but her tears, her sadness and anger blind her as she drags herself away from the line of people who witnessed her breakdown.

She brushes past him and a knocks a piece of her to the floor. He follows her with his eyes, turned around, mesmerised by her. She clumsily makes it through the rotating doors and he looks away, she's gone. No longer able to see her, he notices a card laying on the floor. He looks around, no eyes see him, free to pick it up. A lost bank card maybe, something important.

An ID. Except this girl had no tears, she has no sad look of a person lost. She is beautiful, ruby lips and brown eyes.

ISABELLA SWAN .

So, go check out Come Find Me! You won’t regret it.

Writer Submitted Fic: 6/20 - 6/26

The Disillusioned by PhoenixRising25

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5811420/1/The_Disillusioned

Review by Dragonfly336

Rating: M
Genre: Romance/Suspense, AU
Characters: Edward/Bella

Summary: Bella Swan needs something to put on her college applications, so she signs up to volunteer at Forks General Hospital. There, she meets Edward, a young man with a complicated past. AU, rated M.

The Disillusioned by PhoenixRising25 starts off pretty much like our beloved Twilight, with Bella moving to Forks her senior year to live with Charlie. But that is where the similarities end. Charlie suggests that Bella do some volunteering at the local hospital to “beef up” her college applications. On the first day of school she learns that Angela also volunteers at Forks General and they decide to meet there after school so that she can help Bella get set up. This is also where we first hear a hint of the whereabouts of Edward.

"Hey, Ang, do you ever see that kid there? You know, the one whose parents were killed last month?" Jess whispered conspiratorially around me.

Angela shook her head, a sad frown on her face. I had no idea what Jess was talking about, but from the change in Angela's demeanor, it couldn't have been good.

"That's too bad," Jess said, oblivious to her friend's expression. "He was hot."

I was about to ask Angela what Jess was referring to, when the warning bell rang, signaling the end of lunch and letting us know we had about five minutes to get to our next class.

We then get an EPOV and learn that he is currently residing in the psych ward of Forks General. It seems that our beloved Edward is under the impression that he is a vampire.

Every day it was the same routine; someone trying to get me to eat. Most days it was Sally, but occasionally, it was the tall, mannish woman with the sideburns and five-o-clock shadow. They had a large staff here, but it made no difference to me. If I didn't select anything, it would undoubtedly get reported to Dr. Marshall that I wasn't eating, and that just caused me a bigger headache. I didn't want the IV again, which is what they did the last time I refused food. How they managed to find a needle that would penetrate my skin, I'll never know.

The thing about it is that Edward thinks he has the characteristics of the Twilight vampires, not of the traditional vampire lore. We also learn that he has been in the hospital since his parents were killed and that he is under the impression that he killed them.

Bella goes to the hospital the next day and learns that she has been given a permanent volunteering position in the psych ward, which she is really apprehensive about at first.

I nodded again, unable to speak. I was becoming a bobble-head. Absently waving to Linda, I followed her directions and headed down the hall, my mind churning. Were all the patients in straight-jackets, being force-fed medications? Would I be ripped apart by cannibalistic crazy people? Were there any violent patients in solitary confinement, like Hannibal Lecter? Anthony Hopkins still gave me the creeps, even a couple of years after I first saw Silence of the Lambs. Every possible scary scenario raced through my mind until I looked up, realizing that I had stopped walking. I was in front of a large door, marked both in English and Braille as my destination.

She soon finds out though that she likes being there and working with the patients, especially a green-eyed boy who is very stand-offish with her at first.

The relationship between Edward and Bella develops slowly, which I actually like in this story. I always find it unlikely of them to fall in love at first sight when one of them is damaged and in this kind of situation.

The story takes off from there, with the arrival of the golden eyed Cullen’s and Aro learning of Edward’s condition by reading in a Psychology journal. I don’t want to give too much away of the story, but trust me, this one is worth reading. PhoenixRising25 writes beautifully and I found myself laughing out loud at times when Edward is speaking of his condition. Go read this and you won’t be disappointed!

Writer Submitted Fic: 6/13 - 6/19

Red Letter Year by theswandive

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5896974/1/Voice_For_Me

Reviewed by Agrutle

Rating: M
Genre: Romance/Drama, AH
Characters: Alice/Bella

Summary: Alice needs to leave her single life behind. Venturing out with her brother, she finds more than she expected in a pair of warm brown eyes. What started out as a physical need may, in fact, be more

We first meet Alice and Edward, brother and sister, on their way out for the night. I notice right away that this Alice is different than most I’ve read. She is shy and a homebody and it takes a lot to get her to go out. But Edward succeeds in getting her to go out with him. While there they both meet someone. While heading to get a drink, she literally gets knocked over and is set to yell at this person, but when she turns, she sees this beautiful woman and is tongue tied. It's Bella and her brother, Jasper, is the guy that Edward has met. What are the chances right? Instant connections are there and they end up back at Alice and Edward’s place.

I close my eyes and tilt my head. It takes a millennium, but I lean in and our noses are touching, our hearts are beating rapid-fire, and I can feel her breath on my face. Slowly and surely, I move just a fraction of an inch closer and place a kiss on the corner of her mouth. I can feel her smile under my lips. Instant courage. I take her bottom lip in between mine and pull just slightly. She moves closer and presses herself against me and my hands encircle her waist.

"Do that again, please," she whispers.

"My pleasure."

After that first night, they are inseparable and they start sharing their secrets. Secrets that Alice is scared will push Bella away. One night, while at Bella’s, Jasper asks Alice point blank what he wants to know. Alice starts to tell her story, not knowing that Bella is hiding in the hallway eavesdropping. Alice blames herself and will not listen to anyone telling her any different.

Her breaths were broken and staggered, my shirt damp from her tears. How could this have happened? My sweet, loving Alice. I cried even harder when I imagined her sitting there all alone, both of her parents gruesomely shot to death right in front of her. Then, I imagined what it must have been like for her brother to hear the news over the phone, and have to come and rescue her. Why did they have to suffer so much? There was no one there to answer my questions; there was no justification. That frustrated me more than anything. Giving up on trying to figuring anything out right now, I closed my eyes.

We lay there for an immeasurable amount of time before her crying began to fade. I kissed the top of her head and ran my hands up and down her arms, and along her side.

She whimpered in my arms. I had to hold back more of my tears. I needed to be strong for her.

"Oh, Alice. I'm so sorry," I say, rocking her still. I know there's nothing I can say or do right now that will make it any better.

"It was all my fault," she says in a raspy voice.

Still worried that something will click in Bella and she will realize that Alice is unworthy of her, Alice holds on tight and pulls Bella in to her cocoon, wanting to stay home all the time and never leave. Bella tells her that she needs to go outside the house. Bella wants to go on dates and be a couple outside. She's worried that Alice is ashamed of her, that she only wants her for sex. Alice realizes that she has to try to be a better girlfriend. They begin to be a couple on the outside, too. Then Bella asks Alice to meet her parents.

The three Swans having reunited finally remember that we're standing there. "Oh, God. I'm sorry. Dad, this is my girlfriend, Alice. And her brother, Edward," Bella says, letting go of him and moving towards me.

"It's nice to meet you, sir," I say, holding out my hand. Edward follows suit, totally copying me.

"What's the matter with you two?" Charlie asks. I freak.

"Uh. I...um..." I babble.

"There's no way in hell you two are dating my kids and haven't realized that this here is a family of huggers," he says, quite seriously. He grabs us both and pulls us close to him, wrapping one arm around each of us.

Holy shit.

I don't know what comes over me. Maybe I'm in shock. Maybe I just really fucking miss my dad - I don't know. But I hug him back, and I hold on tight.

It’s great to see Bella and Alice interact and to see how different they both are. Alice is muted compared to what she is in other fics and its a nice change! Bella is a personal trainer and not clumsy at all. Its also nice to see a bit of the relationship between Jasper and Edward. The emotions this author conveys are amazing. I felt the anguish that Alice felt as she was telling her story to Jasper and then Bella. Bella isn’t without her stories though, you must check out this story to find out whats going on with her. It is well worth the read. I can’t wait until it updates again!!!

Writer Submitted Fic: 5/16 - 5/22

Sometimes by Pingvingirl

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6123416/1/Sometimes

Review by Dragonfly336

Rating: M
Genre: Romance/Angst
Characters: Edward/Bella

Summary: Sometimes things don't happen the way they should. And sometimes the things you'd swear are meant to be don't happen at all. AH/AU

Sometimes things don't happen the way they should. And sometimes the things you'd swear are meant to be don't happen at all.

This is the opening line to Sometimes by Pingvingirl. We first meet Bella in a hotel in Seattle, enjoying a day of solitude before she has to go home to Forks for the holidays. She has been in NY working for the parent company of the magazine she works for, Pacific NW. She revels in her solitude in the restaurant.

And so she didn't notice the man watching her as she chomped happily on her bear claw. She didn't see his eyebrows lift as he looked at her, hadn't noticed him push his messy bronze hair back as he stared, almost in amusement as she poured the coffee into her cup with inexplicable delight. She was far too busy feeling pleased with herself. If her hands had been free, she'd almost have been tempted to clap like a performing seal.

We are soon introduced to Edward as he offers to pay for Bella’s pastry. She is reluctant at first but when Edward knows her name, she relents. Bella moved to Forks at the end of her senior year but, unlike Twilight, she wasn’t acquainted with the Cullen’s.

She didn't know why he bothered to add that, even if he did know they'd graduated in the same year. He probably was aware of that- there were no secrets in Forks and every piece of gossip- especially one as juicy as the daughter of the Chief of Police suddenly arriving for the end of her senior year hadn't passed anyone by. But she nodded anyway, blushing as she tried to remember if she'd ever even spoken to Alice. Probably not- it had been easier to agree with Jessica when she'd said Alice was really weird- and there had definitely been something creepy about her boyfriend, Jasper. She knew Edward existed, but she knew she'd never met him. She'd remember if she had.

Edward is a photographer and is at the hotel because he walked in on his girlfriend cheating on him. He’s biding his time for her to pack her stuff and move out. Seeing as they are both alone, Edward invites Bella for dinner where they decide to drive to Forks together the next day.  As Edward drops Bella off, we find out that Bella has a boyfriend, Jacob, whom she failed to mention to Edward. Although, it appears that their relationship isn’t perfect in Bella's eyes.

Jacob barely waited until the door was closed before he pulled her back into his arms, back into the too-hot, smothering embrace. This time he let her retreat just enough that he could kiss her, though that felt forced and awkward too. Maybe that was to be expected after ten weeks apart, she thought as she tried to respond to him. Or maybe the absence meant that she should have been ready to throw herself into his arms and not let go.

She is confused, because it seems that she had feelings that Edward has evoked in her that she can’t exactly pinpoint.

As for the blushing and the weird reaction to him- maybe it was some kind of holiday virus. Something she'd picked up from the re-circulated air on her flight from New York. Or- since she had to concede it had mostly manifested itself around Edward- maybe it had been an allergy of some kind after all. Or maybe it was just plain exhaustion.

This story is told in the third person POV, which is very difficult to get right. Pingvingirl does get it right though. The story flows well and it is nice to get the back and forth of what they are thinking, without switching POV’s. She also brings elements in from Twilight but reshapes them to fit an AH story. So the ultimate question is, will the boy get the girl? Well, you will have to come and find out. At just 11 chapters in, now is the perfect time to start!

Writer Submitted Fic: 5/9 - 5/15

Once Bitten, Twice Shy by CereuleanBlue

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5698597/1/Once_Bitten_Twice_Shy

Reviewed by AnonomouslySufferingFromOCD

Rating: M
Characters: Edward/Bella

Summary: AU, Bella x Edward, Bella was taken by James and held captive for weeks. She returns home with a special gift. Who was her mysterious savior and what is the cause of her new powers? Will she find the answers she needs in her new home in Forks?

As the summary states Once Bitten, Twice Shy is a totally different Twilight universe where a 17 year old Bella, who hasn’t even met our favorite of the Cullen’s yet, is kidnapped and held captive by James and his cohorts for a month. He treats her as if she is his pet and she is repeatedly bitten and abused. Rescued by someone who she thinks is an angel, Bella has become unique. Not quite a vampire but not quite human she has to learn to live with gifts that she has been given and to trust what she has learned to fear.

After trying to stay in Phoenix with Renee for several months after being found in the desert, Bella decides she needs to get away from the place where it all began. Her memories of being tortured by James are too haunting and since Phoenix is where she met her captor, she decides to pay Charlie a visit in Forks. Bella who as we know tends to stick to her decisions once they are made, actually has no desire to return to Phoenix and decides to start back to school in Forks.

"Well, umm . . . Actually . . . I was wondering if well . . . You wouldn't mind if I kind of stayed here with you for awhile. I mean Mom is kind of busy back at home, and I promise I won't. . ." She spoke quickly, her words stumbling over each other like stones tumbling down a hill.

"Whoa, wait a minute. I don't know, Bella. What did your mom say?"

"I haven't talked to her about it yet." Bella looked down at her hands folded in her lap. She hadn't spoken a word to Renée about her plan to stay here with Charlie. She expected that debate to go about as well as a root canal.

In this story, Bella is fully aware of vampires and what they can do, she immediately knows what the Cullen’s are as soon as she sees them, but they are more then perplexed by her.

The door opened as another group of students entered the classroom. A breeze caught her scent and blew it toward Edward's waiting nostrils. His throat stung from the smell of the blood pulsing through her veins, but something in the scent wasn't right. It was different than that of any other human he had encountered before, almost as if it had been diluted with something strange. The smell drove him mad with curiosity.

First the silence, and now this? What is this Bella Swan?

She glanced around the room and caught his stare. He heard her heart begin to race when her eyes made contact with his. What was causing her to react this way? Did she know something?

Cereuleanblue does a good job at weaving in some of our favorite parts of Twilight but changing things up enough that we really don’t know what to expect. We have many of the same enemies but we lose a lot of the messiness. This is also a more skittish, and actually if it is at all possible, a shyer Bella but really she was held captive as a vampire’s pet for a month. This story also shows Bella as more mature, she doesn’t immediately fall head over heals for Edward, but she does know that she is very drawn to him. Of course, don’t worry, there is plenty of romance and Bella does finally figure out what she feels for our favorite Mr. Cullen.

As we watch Bella grow to trust the Cullen’s more and more and understand that not all vampires are bad we also get to watch her learn more about herself. She has some unexplained gifts from her time with James, like super human strength, speed and even the ability to hear others thoughts. Thankfully, Carlisle is around because he knows where and how to get answers when he needs them.

"Well? What do you know?"

Carlisle walked from his position at the foot of the bed to stand beside Bella. Edward stood planted in the same spot his eyes fixed on Bella's face as Carlisle began to speak.

"Before I answer you, I have one more question to ask."

"Go ahead."

"Have you ever tasted vampire blood?"

The question sent a shock through Bella's mind. How could he know? She sat silently afraid to answer him for a second and merely nodded without speaking. She looked at Edward's face, and the shock that resided there said more to her than any words would ever say. He almost looked afraid of her.

"Bella, this is a lot for even me to take in. I am going to tell you everything I know. I have already shared what I have learned with Edward. Do you mind Alice hearing as well?"

Bella’s battle with acceptance is only the beginning for her, as if surviving a month of torture with James wasn’t enough, she has to fight with herself to overcome her fears, she has to convince the wolves that she isn’t a threat to them, and she has to face the ones who were a part of James’ life before his demise.
Edward struggles with wanting to keep Bella safe and by his side at all times without smothering her or making her feel uncomfortable. When he realizes he is in love with her, his need to mate with her is hard to control. Pair that with a very independent Bella who thinks vampires are bad, and you have an interesting mix.

This is a great story that is different than other vampire tales and I think you will enjoy where this one will take you. You will notice that the end of this story brings a cliffie, however it is, of course, explained by cereuleanblue’s plans for a sequel.

Writer Submitted Fic: 4/18-4/24

Accidental Atonement by IdPattThat

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6372221/1/

Review by MandaLyn

Rating: M
Genre: Romance/Humor
Characters: Edward/Leah

Summary: Leah Clearwater considers herself a lost soul and happiness a lost cause. Will community service with the new youth pastor show her that even she deserves a second chance?

Sometimes, you just have to take a chance, no matter how scary it might be.

"What if it goes to Hell in a handbasket?" ~ "Well then the ride will be fun, won't it?"

Accidental Atonement by IdPattThat is an amazing story, serious and moving in places, but lighthearted and funny too. It's a great blend and a fun read. IdPattThat's Leah is the best one out there. She's just the right mix of funny bitch and blooming sweetheart. Her character grows throughout the chapters, engaging the reader to continue seeing the world of Forks through her eyes as she follows the road of accidental atonement.

Edward is as beautiful and perfect as we love to see him, but his character is also so real. He's been through so much and found a way to take the experience of his own hardships and help others. Fall in love with Edward all over again in this beautiful little tale of love, loss, and finding happiness where you least expected it.

Seth, Alice, Charlie, Sue, Claire, Quil, Embry, Paul, and even Jacob feature in this tale, set in Forks and First Beach. Subtle references to everything from the pack to Harry Potter to How I Met Your Mother keep you giggling when you least expect it. Even diehard canon lovers shouldn't pass this one up. It's too much fun to miss!

Writer Submitted Fic: 4/11 - 4/17

Patriot Hearts by Wendlou

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6039496/1/Patriot_Hearts

Review by Agrutle

Rating: M
Genre: Romance/Drama
Characters: Edward/Bella

Summary: In colonial America, farm girl Bella would rather play in the wilderness than behave like a young lady. Edward is the son of a rich landowner and very proud. An unlikely romance unfolds.

Being transported back to the late 1700’s through this story is the best way to time travel. Back to a time when cars and possessions were not important and family and community was. We meet Bella, a young girl, who lives with her father Charlie and brother Emmett. Her mother died when she was very young, leaving her father to raise her the same way he has raised Emmett. Sadly, that has made her very boyish. She wears Emmett’s breaches and goes hunting and fishing with her friend Jacob. One evening, Charlie tells Bella that she will start going to the Cullen home every Sunday to start taking lessons on how to be a lady. All Bella knows is that she doesn’t want to be a lady if that means time away from her brother and father.

I sit in the chair next to Alice and across from Edward. I am too nervous to eat. Alice turns to me and in a whisper only meant for me to hear, she asks, "Is it true you run wild with an Indian boy?"

I giggle and nod my answer.

"What adventures you must have," she says, "I must hear all your tales. I never have any fun, well, except when we travel. I love to see the big cities and shop for pretty things and dine at restaurants…," it is as if a dam has broken and Alice cannot contain herself any more,"… I just know we are going to be fine friends," she finishes, and I think that she is right.

After lunch, Miss Rosalie leads us to a small parlor off the main hall for our lesson. As soon as she closes the door behind us, her pleasant façade is replaced by a scowl. She takes a moment to appraise me from top to bottom.

"Well, I can see I have my work cut out for me. Your posture is atrocious, your table manners were appalling, and you smell like the inside of a barn," she snips. "I suppose we will have to start with the basics." 

She crosses the room, removes a book from a shelf and comes to stand directly in front of me. "A lady of good breeding always stands straight and tall," she says, and then places the book on top of my head. "I expect you to balance this book on your head and practice walking and sitting. In order to accomplish this, your back must remain straight and your head level."

I hold my tongue and do as I am told. Alice gives me a sympathetic smile that quickly disappears as Miss Rosalie begins to lecture us on the importance of good grooming and the benefit of making a good presentation of one's self. 

I spend the duration of my first lesson fumbling with a heavy book that seems to only want to fall onto my toes. Miss Rosalie praises Alice for her good upbringing and makes many comments on my lack of it. An hour later, Miss Rosalie declares an end to my torture and leaves the room to inquire how I will be let home. Alice and I take this opportunity to become acquainted.

Bella and Alice become fast friends and Bella soon is waiting to spend time with her during their Sunday lessons. She has had no real contact with Alice’s brother, Edward, until he takes her home one evening after a lesson. She is in awe of him. He was raised to care for girls in a certain way and she had never felt so taken care of and it makes her feel so odd. She doesn’t understand why she feels so fluttery and jittery. He’s just a boy, just like Jake and Emmett, but there is something else there, something different and she doesn’t know if it’s good or bad. He is so handsome and older, one minute he is being sweet and talkative and the next he is short and borderline rude. She doesn’t know what to make of him.

"G-Good day, Edward," I stutter as I return his greeting. I feel a blush coming to my cheeks as I do my best to return a smile. Edward slowly stretches out his arm and offers me an envelope. "What is this?" I ask as I cautiously take the envelope from him.

Jacob must have sensed my nervousness at our exchange because he silently comes to stand next to me in a protective manner. Edward turns his gaze to Jacob as if only now noticing him for the first time. The smile falls from Edward's face. They lock eyes and appraise each other for several moments.

"It is an invitation," he says abruptly, without taking his gaze from Jacob. His tone has become unfriendly. I cannot think why. "Alice has bid me to deliver it to you. She would like you to come to our Christmas ball."

"Oh," is all I can manage to say as I register his hostility. We all three stand awkwardly for a moment longer and then the silence is broken by Edward.

"Once again, good day," he says, nods at me, then turns , mounts his horse and leaves without a backwards glance.

The author has a way of making you feel like you are right there watching her story. I love that she can convey, no matter what time period, the uncertainty of a teen-aged girl dealing with new circumstances. Watching all the different people in different stations in life and realizing that in the end the only thing that matters is the way you conduct yourself. This story sucked me in within two chapters and I eagerly await a new chapter. I cannot wait to see how the relationship between Bella and Edward comes about. Come join the journey now and enjoy the anticipation with me!

Writer Submitted Fic: 4/4 - 4/10

To the Highest Bidder by RainyGirl1978

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6018429/1/To_the_Highest_Bidder

Review by Dragonfly336

Rating: M
Genre: Romance/Drama
Characters: Edward/Bella

Summary: 1849 CA "Bella he loves you! He'll make sure you're taken care of!" Bella runs from an arranged marriage to make her own way only to wind up in something much more sinister. Can she escape & find love & purpose? Mature themes, minor violence/abuse.

To the Highest Bidder by RainyGirl1978 is a story that takes place in a town called Rough and Ready in Northern California during the height of the Gold Rush. In the first chapter we meet Edward and Emmett Cullen, who just moved into the area from Missouri with their parents, Carlisle and Esme.

On Edward’s first trip to town, he is met with a true vision.

She was sitting underneath an old oak tree, quietly reading a book next to the Sheriff's Office. Something about her enthralled Edward's attention. She looked completely absorbed in whatever she was reading, softly chewing on her bottom lip, while the breeze blew tendrils of her chestnut hair gently around her face. She looked at peace and Edward wondered what she was reading. She was beautiful; but not in an ostentatious way. Nevertheless, she was captivating. A compulsion to go to her and brush the windblown hair from her lovely face surprised him in its intensity. He had to tear his gaze away from her and force his attention back to the task at hand: collecting the mail. But as he continued on towards the Post Office his thoughts kept returning to the beautiful girl under the tree.

Enter Bella Swan, daughter of the town Sheriff. Edward becomes smitten with her and thinks of her often through the week. When Emmett comes to him and asks to go to church for their parents that Sunday, Edward agrees quickly, knowing that Bella will most likely be there. She does arrive at church, although under less than favorable conditions, in Edward’s eyes.

Just as they were finding their seats Edward heard soft feminine laughter coming from behind him. He glanced back and there was Bella, looking beautiful alongside Jacob Black, one of the Cullen's hired men. Jacob had his arm slung casually around Bella's shoulder and the two of them were laughing and chatting. It was obvious that they cared for each other a great deal. Edward's eyes narrowed. Was she spoken for after all? Bella looked up and seeing his glare, she blushed and looked at the floor. Jacob didn't miss a beat; glaring right back at Edward, possessively placing his hand on the small of her back and ushering Bella into her seat.

We learn that Chief Swan has promised his best friend, Billy, that Bella and his son, Jacob, will be married. Bella feels love for him, but in more of a brotherly way, since they grew up together. She longs for feelings of passion and happiness that she believes she will not have if she goes through with it.

After a tragic accident, it seems that Bella’s worst fears will come true sooner than she thinks and she flees to Sacramento. Edward is frantic in worry and wants to go look for her, but has absolutely no idea where to start. It isn’t until one day, when Edward makes the trip to Sacramento to pick up a package, that he runs into Bella unexpectedly, somewhere where he never would expect her to be.

He sat frozen in his seat, unable to move, just processing the scene in front of him. How in the hell did she end up here?

RainyGirl1978 tells this story in the third person POV and does it very well. I am always impressed when author’s can do this POV and keep the flow of the story going, and that is just what she does. She weaves a wonderful tale and we get glimpses throughout the first chapters that Edward has a tragedy in his past as well.


To The Highest Bidder keeps your interest throughout the story and it is complete at twenty three chapters. So, if you want a good historical fic, with action and romance, this is definitely one to read!

Writer Submitted Fic: 3/21-3/27

Still of the Night by StAngelS

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6204656/1/Still_of_the_Night

Review by Agrutle

Rating: M
Genre: Supernatural/Romance
Characters: Edward/Bella

Summary: Bella wakes up every night at 2.13am, heart racing, fearful. Can the Dr. cure her or will the arrival of a dark stranger help Bella find peace from her past? Some lemons,few scary bits,E/B,AH,OOC,Some major character death.Supernatural/Suspense/Romance

Waking up every morning at two-thirteen is no way to live, and Bella has been doing that for six months. Finally, Charlie talks her in to going to see Dr. Carlisle Cullen about her sleeping issues. She doesn’t know what’s wrong but she’s tired of being woke up every night at the same time, feeling like she’s dying. After running tests that show nothing is physically wrong with Bella, she begins to give up hope that anything will be found to help her. Who do you call when you can’t see what’s hurting you? The Masen brothers, that’s who!

I wake up screaming and bolt out of bed. My feet hit the wooden floor with a dull thud. I don't even know why I'm bothering to look at the time. It's two-thirteen in the morning, the same time I have been waking up every night for the past six months.

My heart feels like it's about to break through my chest. I can barely breathe because it feels like a big pair of arms are wrapped around of my torso, squeezing. I feel cold, so very, very cold. Slowly the pressure around my chest lifts, my breathing returns to normal, and my heart rate slows down. It would be so much easier if I could just remember what I was dreaming about which woke me so violently. Every night it's the exact same thing. I wake up screaming. I feel like I'm dying. I can't fall asleep again and I lie in bed, in the dark, until I start becoming restless.

Edward Masen and his brothers, Jasper and Emmett live on the road, going from town to town and hunting for the unseen. When Carlisle calls and says he needs them, the boys don’t hesitate to come. After they get there, it becomes apparent that there is something going on in Forks. Something supernatural, and it seems to have gotten a hold of Bella and doesn’t want to let go.

I feel the covers of my bed lift up very deliberately and the icy cold form of someone get into bed with me. The feel of the body next to me chills me to my bones, right down to the core of me. Someone is in bed with me. I don't know who and I am petrified. I feel a frigid hand touching my side and slide up towards my chest. A cry is caught in my throat.

I jolt upright just to feel icy arms pull me back onto the bed. I fight, trying to free myself from their hold but can't move an inch. Big hand violently grab at my breasts, I grab at empty air trying to reach the arms of the person accosting me, trying to pull him away. Nothing. No one is there, but I feel him.

Suddenly, he grabs onto my shoulder and flips me over so I'm lying on my stomach. A penetratingly icy breath washes over my neck as I feel a wintry body push me into the mattress, a cold hand grabs onto my knee pulling my leg up, a body as cold as death placing itself between my legs.

Oh, god, someone help me! No. No. No. No. No.

Arctic hands grab onto my hips and lift my pelvis up as if to prepare me for penetration. I feel the material of my underwear tear. The sound of ripping material making bile rise up in my throat as their invading hands forcefully remove the fabric from between me and them. I can't breathe as the reality settles on me that someone is about to rape me. I feel them shift and steel myself for what I'm sure is about to transpire when my bedroom door is violently thrown open.

"Absum phasmatis quod subsist excrucio hicallus diutus!" A commanding voice shouts and just like that the cold form disappears and I'm alone in bed, shaken, shocked, numb, and cold.

"Bella"? Edwards's concerned voice breaks into my consciousness. "Bella?"

The author has a great way of making you feel like you are right there with the boys and Bella, dealing with the demons. Her Edward is commanding and has a take charge attitude that makes him sexy. Bella is no shy girl either, she can hold her own and does quite well at it. Come and enjoy the journey of ghosts, demons, and whatever else may pop up.

Writer Submitted Fic: 3/14-3/20

Falling Away with You By Shadowed by Passion

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6226253/1/Falling_Away_with_You

Review by Marriedmyedward
*This Story is No Longer Available* 

Rating: M
Genre: Romance/Angst
Characters: Bella/Jake and Bella/Edward

Summary: Bella is in a loveless marriage after having a child with a one night stand whos name she never got. Rated M for language, lemons, suggestion of suicide. B/J and B/E HEA

This is another one of those stories that when I saw the title, it caught my eye and pulled me towards it. I'm so glad I chose this story.

The story starts with Bella being so unhappy in her marriage, she is contemplating the worst to get out of it. Then she thinks of her daughter, Lilly, and decides otherwise, knowing that she could never leave her daughter's side. Turns out that Lilly came about by total accident a few years back when Bella had a one night stand with a total stranger. She never got his name or any of his personal info. After all, it was supposed to be a one night stand. A month goes by, and she find out that not only did she get the promotion she was hoping for at work, but she got a personal promotion as well...becoming a mom. Bella was told that she couldn't have, or rather that it would be difficult for her to have children, so imagine her surprise when she found out that indeed, it was possible.

A few more years go by and she meets Jake. They get married and almost a year into her marriage, Bella realizes that she isn't happy and after lunch with her co-worker and fellow best friend, Rose and Rose's friend Alice, Bella finds her salvation and her name is Esme Cullen. This sets the ball rolling and in the process of waiting for their meeting, Bella finds out some things about Jake that sends Bella into a frenzy and knows that now is as good a time as any to get things moving quicker than they have been.

This passage kind of explains a bit how Bella feels about her marriage...

The ideas and possibilities were flying thru my mind so fast. I knew what I wanted, but figuring out how to get it was so hard. I wanted this to be over. I was miserable. I hated my life. As much as I hated being alone and trying to keep myself whole so I could care for Lilly, I hated it even more now that I was with Jake. He was like poison to me. He made me feel like I would never be good enough. He said he loved my faults and the damage my past had done- all of it. But his claim to love was never enough to make me feel that it was true.

I sat up in bed with my head against the headboard, staring at the ceiling. I tried to get my mind off the idea of killing myself as I knew there was a good chance I wouldn't be successful. I let my mind wander to happier times. Sickening as it was, I thought back to the night when my life changed.

This story leaves you guessing, is the mystery man going to come back into her life? Or is she going to meet somebody entirely different that may change her life forever? Hmmm...I think you should go check out Falling Away With You and find out for yourself.